Joshua o



(No Model.)

J.. O. HOWE.

LIGHTING DEVICE.

Patented DecNZ', 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSHUA O. HOWE, OF BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO S. BROWN WYLIE, OF SAME PLAGE.

LIGHTING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375.632. dated December 27. 1887.

Application tiled April 13, 1887.

.To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSHUA O. HowE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bloomington, Indiana, have invented certain Improvements in Automatic Fire-Lighting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to constructa simple form of automatic fire lighter, which is to more especially adapted for use in connection with steam {ire-engines.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a View showing the manner in which my automatic lire-lighter is adapted to be used in con- 5 nection with a steam fire-engine. Fig. 2 is a vertical section, drawn to an enlarged scale, of my tire-lighter; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same. A

A is an open pan or dish, which may b e of 2o any suitable form, and which in the present instance is shown as of round shape, to correspond with the grate of a lire-engine. This pan is for the reception of shavings or other suitablecombustible material, and it is provided in its bottom with a number ofair tubes or openings, c, for the ad mission of air to support combustion when the material isignited, as hereinafter described. On the under side of the pan is a box or bracket, B, containing a spring, I), which in the presentvinstance is spiral, and is connected at its-outer end to the box or bracket and at its inner end to a central axis, F. This axis F has a bottom or step bearing in the box or bracket B, and a bearing in a sleeve,f, carried by or forming part of a pan, B. This central axis has at its upper end an arm, G, which carries a match-holder, g, and which is adapted to engage with and be held by a bolt or catch, H, sliding in a bracket, h, carried b v the pan. The position of this retaining-catch may be that shown by full lines, or that shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, as convenience may require.

I secure to the inside of the pan a yielding striking-surface for matches,and in the present instance I have shown this striking-surface as composed of a curved spring-plate, S, which is fastened at one end to the pan and at the other end is free. This free end of the plate 5o has a roughened face, as shown in Figs. 2 and Serial No. 234,715. (No model.)

3, lying in the path of the matches as they are carried round by the supportingarm when the central axis is rotated. I provide in addition a bracket, K, on the inside of the pan, to support a glass or other breakable bottle, 7c, con- 55 taining benzine or other suitablecombustible fluid. On the arm G there is secured aroughened or toothed projection, P, which, when the central axis and arm are rotated by the spring, comes into contact with and breaks the bottle, to thereby distribute the fluid over the combustible material in the bottom of the pan.

\Vhen this fire-lighter is to be used in connection with a steam tlreengine,as illustrated in Fig. 1, itis mounted on a suitable support, M, secured to the wall or iioor of the enginehouse in such a position that when the engine is backed into the engine-house the re-ligh ter will be immediately under the grate. This support may be in the form of legs M, preferably secured to the iloor,or itmay be abracket, M', secured to the wall. It is preferable to make a part of the support hinged or other- Wise adj ustable,to allow the lighter to be moved to different positions. The catch or bolt H is 7 5 provided with a cord, wire, or chain passing over pulleys, and may be automatically withdrawn by suitable connections with electricalarm apparatus, or by the opening of the horsestall door or doors, or opening of engine'house door or doors, or by ahand-pull or other means. Vhen the bolt H is withdrawn, it releases the arm G, so that the latter is rapidly swung round under the action of the springs, the matches strike against the prepared surface to ignite the combustible material in the bottom of the pan, and the flame is increased by the fluid from the bottle 7c,\vhich is then broken by the projection l?. A iire being thus lit under the surface of the grate of the engine, theA ignition of the fuel in the rebox will have been well started by thetime the engine moves out.

Although I have devised my improvements more especially for use in connection with reengines, it should be understood that they may be employed equally well for the automatic lighting of any re.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of a pan for the reception of combustible material for use under a fire-grate, with a rotating arm carrying a match-holder, and a striking-surface on the pan, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of apan to receive combustible material, and having a striking-surface, with an arm carrying matches, a spring to rotate the arm, and a retaining-catch for the arm.

3. The combination of the pan to receive combustible material, and having a strikingsurface and a bottleisnpport, with a rotating arm carrying matches, andlngers to break the bottle, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the pan to receive 15 combustible material, with a rotary arm carrying a match-holder, and a yielding strikingsurfacc on the pan, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speciflcationin the presence of two sub- 2o scribing witnesses.

JOSHUA O. HOE.

Witnesses:

C. VANZANT, LoUIs N. WILLIAMS. 

